British Rail Class 83

British Railways AL3 British Rail Class 83
Class 83, no. E3035, on display at Doncaster Works open day on 27 July 2003. This locomotive is preserved by the AC Locomotive Group at Barrow Hill Engine Shed.
Type and origin Power type Electric Builder English Electric at Vulcan Foundry Build date 1960–1962 Total produced 15
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte Bo-Bo  • AAR B-B  • UIC Bo'Bo' Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Wheel diameter 4 ft 0 in (1.219 m) Length 52 ft 6 in (16.00 m) Adhesive weight 19 long tons (19.3 t; 21.3 short tons) Loco weight 76.40 long tons (77.6 t; 85.6 short tons) Electric system/s 25 kV AC Catenary Current pickup(s) Pantograph Traction motors 740 hp (550 kW) English Electric 532A, 4 off Train heating Electric Train Heating Train brakes Vacuum, Dual from 1972–1973
Performance figures Maximum speed 100 mph (160 km/h) Power output 2,950 hp (2,200 kW) (continuous) Tractive effort 38,000 lbf (169 kN) (max)
Career Operators British Rail Class AL3; later 83 Numbers E3024–E3035, E3098-E3100; later 83001–83015 Axle load class Route availability 6 Retired 1975 (1), 1978 (1), 1983 (10), 1989 (3) Disposition One preserved, remainder scrapped

The British Rail Class 83 electric locomotives were built by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows as part of the West Coast Main Line electrification.

History

Fifteen locomotives of British Rail Class 83 were built between 1960 and 1962 by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry, as part of British Rail's policy to develop a standard electric locomotive. Five prototype classes (81-85) were built and evaluated, which eventually led to the development of the Class 86 locomotive.

Three of these engines were to have been built as Type B, geared for freight trains, but as it was only two were so built, becoming E3303 and E3304. The third Type B, E3305, was never built as such. Instead it was used as a test bed with silicon rectifiers and transducers, this being the first step towards thyristor control. It became a Type A, geared for passenger trains, and numbered E3100.

The other two Type B locomotives were eventually rebuilt as Type A, being renumbered E3098 (ex E3303) and E3099 (ex E3304). Power was provided by overhead catenary energized at 25,000 V AC.

As with the Class 84, the Class 83 suffered with problems due to the mercury-arc rectifiers. After spending several years in storage (1967 to 1971), they were rebuilt with silicon rectifiers, as was already fitted to E3100.

The decision to reinstate the fifteen engines of Class 83 was the result of the extension of the electrification requiring more electric locomotives. With both Class 83 and Class 84 being returned to traffic only thirty-six Class 87 required to be built.

The class were used to haul trains on the then newly electrified West Coast Main Line, from Birmingham, to Crewe, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool and later Preston. By 1965, electrification had spread south to London Euston. Electrification finally reached Glasgow in the early 1970s, allowing this class to operate the full length of the West Coast Main Line.

Under the pre-TOPS British Rail classification, the first fourteen locomotives, E3025 - E3035 and E3303, E3304 (later E3098 and E3099) were Class AL3 (meaning the 3rd design of AC Locomotive). The fifteenth engine, E3100 became Class AL3/1. All fifteen were included in the TOPS numbering system, being renumbered 83001-015.

Two engines were withdrawn early as a result of accidents. The first was 83003, withdrawn in 1975, which was severely damaged in an accident with a Class 86 at Watford.

The second engine was 83004 which on 24 December 1977 was severely damaged in a collision with a Class 47 at Willesden. In 1983 ten of the remaining thirteen engines were withdrawn, all being sent to the Vic Berry Scrapyard in Leicester.

The last three in service, 83009, 83012, and 83015 were retained for use on empty coaching stock workings from London Euston Station to Willesden. 83009 had previously been used at Longsight in Manchester to convert the 25 kV AC supply to 1500 V DC to allow testing of the Manchester-Glossop-Hadfield units following the closure of Reddish Depot.

The Polish EU06 class was produced by English Electric at the same time as the 83s and externally they are quite similar.

Power supply

The locomotives always worked on power provided by overhead catenary energized at 25,000 V AC. However, the main transformer, normally operated with the four windings in series, could be operated at 6250 V AC with the transformer windings in parallel. This voltage was initially to be used where limited clearances gave concern over use of the higher voltage.

Preservation

One locomotive has been preserved by the AC Locomotive Group.

• 83012 / E3035 - Barrow Hill Engine Shed

Fleet details

Key:	Preserved	Scrapped

Numbers			Withdrawn	Disposal
Type B	Type A	TOPS
-	E3024	83001	1983	Scrapped at Vic Berry, Leicester December 1984
-	E3025	83002	1983	Scrapped at Vic Berry, Leicester November 1984
-	E3026	83003	1975	Scrapped at Crewe Works July 1975
-	E3027	83004	1978	Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield February 1978
-	E3015	83005	1983	Scrapped at Vic Berry, Leicester November 1984
-	E3029	83006	1983	Scrapped at Vic Berry, Leicester October 1984
-	E3030	83007	1983	Scrapped at Vic Berry, Leicester December 1984
-	E3031	83008	1983	Scrapped at Vic Berry, Leicester November 1984
-	E3032	83009	1989	Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow August 1993
-	E3033	83010	1983	Scrapped at Vic Berry, Leicester December 1984
-	E3034	83011	1983	Scrapped at Vic Berry, Leicester November 1984
-	E3035	83012	1989	Preserved at Barrow Hill Engine Shed
E3303	E3098	83013	1983	Scrapped at Vic Berry, Leicester October 1984
E3304	E3099	83014	1983	Scrapped at Vic Berry, Leicester October 1984
(E3305)	E3100	83015	1989	Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow April 1993

Further reading

• Derrick, Kevin (2014). Looking back at AC Electric Locomotives. Strathwood. ISBN 9781905276516. OCLC 931820979.
• McManus, Michael. Ultimate Allocations, British Railways Locomotives 1948 - 1968. Wirral. Michael McManus.

External links

• AC Locomotive Group - Owners of preserved locomotive no. 83012 / E3035